Package for explosives



W. 19, 1939. I J RAPE 2,184,166

PACKAGE FOR EXPLOS IVES Filed May 27, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l v 2 7 i J 1 4 2 l W INVENTOR. BY 50/0 c/. F425,

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ATTORNFV mm Hg fl@$@n F J RAPE fl lwfififi PACKAGE FOR EXPLOSIVES' Filfid May 27, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVENTOR.

i. BYZQ ATTORNEY,

meme Dec. 19, 1939 UNiTE STATES FATE @FFECE enemas ron axrcosivas Application May 2t, 1937, Serial No. mates.

ll Claim.

Myinvention relates to improvements in explosives containers and particularly to those oi the water-resisting type used for the packaging of blasting explosives.

The importance of suitable water-resisting containers for certain types of blasting explosives can be more readily understood if it is pointed out that quite often in blasting operations, conditions are encountered where the bore holes contain appreciable amounts of water. Heretofore, where these conditions were encountered, it has been the practice to use a type of explosive primarily characterized by its waterresistant qualities. Since this type of explosive is invariably of a gelatinous nature the producing of which is of relatively greater cost, and being further characterized by both their comparative- 1y high densities and rates or detonation, it is therefore obvious that this type of explosive is not always the best adapted for certain particular blasting operations and particularly those operations where a fine fragmentation of the material is undesirable.

Those skilled in the art are aware that the oxygen balance of blasting explosives has an appreciable effect on their execution in that too great a deficiency in oxygen not only materially decreases their strength, but also materially increases the amount of poisonous gas liberated. Since the explosive container enters into the explosive reaction and being to a greater or lesser extent deficient in oxygen it can be seen that its composition and weight have an appreciable effeet on the execution of the explosive.

From the foregoing it can be seen that the ideal water-resistant explosive container is one that adds the least towards the oxygen deficiency oi the explosive and yet among other things it should be able to withstand being submerged to considerable depths of water without the permeation of water, nor should seasonal changes in the atmospheric temperature have any appreciable effect on its water-resistant quality. Furthermore, the cost of a water-resistant explosive container should be such that its use in the packaging of adaptable types of explosives would be commercially practical.

I have found that a package made from sheets of material, preferably paper, laminated or bonded together by a joint consisting mainly of rubher and wax, meets all of the aforementioned desirable characteristics of an explosive package.

The above bonding compound may consist of any of the so-called rubbers, such as pale crepe rubber, smoke sheet rubber, gutta rubber, while properties.

the waxes may include paramne, beeswax, spermaceti, candelllla, carnauba, in say the proportions of from 6 to 30% of rubber to from 94 to 70% of wax with requisite quantities of an antioxidant. I prefer a composition comprising approximately 15% of crepe rubber and 85% of parafllne wax compounded in the usual manner with a small amount of a suitable antioxidant.

One of the advantages flowing from the use of the above wax-rubber compound is that it does 10 not impregnate the reinforcing material or paper to which it is applied but, on the contrary, adheres to the surface thereof. Consequently, the surface of the paper opposite that to which the material is applied is unafiected in its absorbent It is, therefore, entirely suitable to receive printed designations or it may have labels adhesively applied thereto.

One of the characteristics of the wax-rubber compound is its thermoplasticity. It may, therego fore, be bonded or laminated to the reinforcing material, such as paper, by the application of gentle heat and pressure and without the additional use of adhesives, nearly all of which have comparatively high oxygen deficiencies and are more or less affected by seasonal changes in atmospheric temperatures.

This material is further characterized by its unusual flexibility and when in film or sheet form may be stretched so that its length may be at increased up to 'as much as 300% without-rupture.

This material permits a much lighter weight package being used, while still maintaining high water or moisture resistance. The laminating 8K5 material is also particularly desirablev in that it does not upset the oxygen balance of the combined explosive and'container,

As an illustration of a specific form of wrapper made using the above material, reference may 40 be had to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a sheet laminated according to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a tube made of the laminated sheet of Fig. i;

Fig. 3 is a, fragmentary sectional view showin the side seam of the tube of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the method of sealing an open end of the tube of Fig. 4 to 50 make a package therefrom;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a partially completed package;

6 is a perspective view of a completed package;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view ofthe package wall through the tie.

Referring now-with particularity to the drawings, a composite wrapper maybe made by laminating sheets I and 2 from-paper or the like with an intermediate layer or film 3 of the above described rubber-wax composition. The three layers may be adhered together under the application of gentle heat and pressure which causes the thermoplastic layer 3 to soften, and upon solidification, the sheets I and 2 are adhered together. From this sheet, a tube 4 may be made having gussets in the side thereof, such as shown at 5, the overlapping edges being secured together as at 6 by means 'of a waterproof adhesive 1. I

One end of the package may then be folded down against the body as at 8 using a suitable waterproof adhesive 9 having sufllcient body to completely seal the folds. An asphaltum material is satisfactory for this purpose. The explosive may then be filled into the open ended package and the top of the body l0 folded and sealed similarly to the bottom end. Where desired, a tie ll may be arranged around the body which will assist in holding the folded ends thereagainst.

Where desired, the entire completed package with the contained explosive may be sprayed or painted with or dipped into a bath of moisture impervious material such as melted or liquid wax or the like which, upon solidification or evaporation, causes a closely adherent-film I2 to exist over the entire package and gives added protection.

While the invention has been shown and described with particular reference to specific embodiments, yet it is to be understood that it is not to be restricted thereto, but is to be construed broadly and limited only by the scope of the FLOYD J. RAPE. 

